Around 252 million years ago, massive volcanic eruptions in Siberia led to a climate catastrophe that caused the mass extinction. Fossils from the Bellerophon and Werfen formations showcase the impressive diversity of life before and the monotony after the event. Visitors learn how marine ecosystems responded to extreme conditions and the effects of carbon dioxide release by the Siberian Traps. The exhibition illustrates how life slowly recovered and how organisms like the clam Claraia adapted to oxygen-poor and warm environments.
Alarmingly, humanity today releases more carbon dioxide than the Siberian volcanoes did during the mass extinction period. A special focus is on the impacts of climate change in South Tyrol: rising temperatures, melting glaciers, and a higher snowfall boundary. The exhibition shows how our behavior affects biodiversity and environmental resilience and what each of us can do to reduce emissions and promote a more sustainable future.
By linking past and present, the exhibition provides a powerful call to action and emphasizes the need for global efforts to avert the worst impacts of climate change.